1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for advising subscribers of a telecommunication system of service charging tariffs of services to subscribers. The present invention further relates to a subscriber station processing such a service charging tariff advice. The telecommunication system can be: a wired or wireless system. The service can be a voice service or a data service.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the German Patent Application No. 33 05 978 A1, a telecommunication system is disclosed in which traffic peaks are smoothed by signaling to subscriber stations of a currently valid charging tariff corresponding to an each time momentary traffic situation, so that a subscriber can consider the importance of a desired call against the momentary costs of such a call. Particularly, a tariff signal is transmitted to a subscriber for whom a connection setup was initiated, the tariff signal indicating a charging tariff corresponding to a current network load. In the latter case, when the subscriber breaks off the call setup, not all otherwise, necessary network resources have to be allocated that would be necessary to complete the call setup and the call. The current charging tariff can be signaled by the system to the individual subscriber stations at regular intervals, e.g., in case of an ISDN network, in the ISDN signaling channel of the subscriber station. The subscriber can also request the current charging tariff from the system before actually making a call. The tariff signal can be transmitted in a coded way so that the current charging tariff can be displayed at a subscriber station""s display. It is further disclosed that a microprocessor in the subscriber station can be programmed such that desired calls are first stored in a microprocessor memory and that such calls are automatically dialed if a favorable currently valid charging tariff signal is received by the subscriber station. Although in the disclosed in the German Patent Application No. 33 05 978 A1, smoothing of traffic peaks is obtained, the disclosed smoothing method provides uncertainties as regards considerations when to make telephone call at favorable costs. Furthermore, in the case of a microprocessor automatically setting up a call upon reception of a favorable currently valid charging tariff, such an automatic call setup provides inconveniences to the subscriber in that the subscriber might not be available to make a call at that particular time or is doing something else and does not want to be disturbed.
In the PCT Application WO 95/20298, a method for transmitting of changing tariff data in tariff frames to a subscriber station is disclosed, during a telephone call. In this method, upon call setup a subscriber of a pay phone is informed about a current charging tariff, and is further given a lump sum for that call that counts down in accordance with the current charging tariff until it is consumed. If the call still is not finished, in a further tariff frame, a further lump sum will be provided against a then valid current charging tariff, the previous and the then valid current charging tariff possibly being different. In this method, the system operator tries to achieve a tariff situation both favorable to the operator and the subscriber. As the German Patent Application No. 33 05 978, this method is not very convenient to the subscriber either as to when to make telephone calls at favorable costs.
In the PCT Application WO 94/28670, a method for indicating the charge of a call in a telecommunication network is disclosed. The indication of the charge of the call is provided to the user upon initial call setup, without the network allocating all resources needed to completely set up a call and to complete a call. The initial call set up will only be finished when the user gives permission to do so. So, also this advice-of-charge service is inconvenient to the user as to when to make telephone calls at favorable costs.
In the PCT Application WO 96/20571, charging criteria are disclosed used in a mobile telephone network for determining a price for a call between two subscribers. It is disclosed that charging of mobile radio subscribers is different from charging of wired network subscribers. It is described how the cost of a call is divided over the calling and the called party, depending of the roaming situation of the two subscribers in the mobile telephone network. It is further disclosed that in the mobile radio network a lower tariff may be applied during so-called off-peak times, and a higher tariff than normally during peak times.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,601, a mobile radio system is disclosed in which actual peak and off-peak usage information, as well as billing information such as customer discounts is used by the system to provide rate plan analysis for alternative rate structures.
So, both the PCT Application WO 96/20571 and the U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,601 disclosed application of off-peak and peak rates as such, by a mobile telephone operator. Off-peak periods are usually part of a service plan, and are typically offered from 7 PM to 7 AM, or a similar period, and during weekends, i.e., offer no flexibility to the network operator or subscribers.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for flexibly advising subscribers of a telecommunication system of varying service charging tariffs over a time period, such that peak traffic in the telecommunication is smoothed.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a method wherein an operator can optimize its revenues, taking into account service plans of subscribers that include free off-peak minutes.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a subscriber station processing received service charging tariff messages broadcast in accordance with said message.
It is still another object of the invention to provide such a subscriber station provided with a user-friendly user interface for presenting received service charging tariff information.
In accordance with the invention, a method for advising subscribers of a telecommunication system of service charging tariffs of services to said subscribers is provided, said method comprising:
broadcasting of a service charging tariff message from said telecommunication system to said subscribers, said service charging tariff message comprising a starting time of a future tariff period and a tariff indication of said future tariff period;
upon reception of said service charging tariff message, processing of said starting time of said future tariff period and said tariff.
An advantage for the subscriber, such as a mobile phone subscriber who has usually many off-peak free minutes in his or her calling plan, is that such free off-peak minutes can be spent more flexible. Without an operator offering off-peak periods outside a usually fixed period, e.g. between 7 PM and 7 AM, the subscriber could only spend free minutes within such a fixed period. An advantage for the operator of the telecommunication system is that revenues can be improved. This is based on the idea that if subscribers spend more free minutes outside said fixed periods, such subscribers will quite likely also spend air-time within such fixed periods, even when all free minutes are spent. This is because usually within such fixed periods tariffs are lower than outside such fixed and usually more peak-like hours. Operators usually perform call behavior analysis and measure traffic intensities so that they can easily offer cheaper call periods outside said fixed cheaper periods, taking into account such analysis and measurements. The calling plan can also include a reduced charging tariff for off-peak minutes. Then, the tariff indication can indicate such a reduced charging tariff so that the subscriber can spend its reduced charging tariff minutes during peak times as indicated in the service charging tariff message.
Advantageously, also an ending time of said future tariff period is offered so that the subscriber is fully informed about occasional off-peak charging rates during peak periods, and can thus better plan its calls, considering the importance of a call and the costs of a call.
The operator can broadcast information about future tariff periods on a piecemeal-by-piecemeal basis, which has the advantage for the operator of some uncertainty at the side of the subscriber, thereby avoiding that too many subscribers avail themselves, of the tariff option. The operator can also decide to broadcast information about several future tariff periods at the same time, thereby improving the service to its subscribers, the tariff information including information related to the same day or even later days.
The operator can also provide successive messages throughout the day with only starting times of future tariff periods with different tariffs, such as indicating at a particular time of the day outside fixed off-peak periods that an off-peak period starts or that peak-period starts or resumes.
In an embodiment of the invention the subscriber station has a user-friendly interface for processing received service charging tariff information. In such a user-friendly interface service charging information is displayed in the form of an icon, such as a triangle, or a bar chart, or the like reflecting different tariff periods and tariffs throughout the day. Herewith, the subscriber has a convenient means to decide whether to immediate place a call, possibly against higher costs, or, based on the displayed information, to postpone a call to a later time.
In another embodiment, the information contained in the service charging tariff message is in the form of a free format alpha-numerical message.